Machine for applying metallic fasteners to envelops.



I W. E. SWIFT. MACHINE FOR APPLYING METALLIC FASTENERS T0 ENVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 26, 1906.

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Witnesses W. E SWIFT. MACHINE FOR APPLYING METALLIC FASTENERS T0 ENVELOPS.

I APPLICATION FILED OUT. 25 1906.

965,252. Patented July 26,1910.

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W. E. SWIFT. MACHINE FOR APPLYING METALLIC FASTENERS T0 ENVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 25, 1906.

SHEETS-SHEET 3- Wii; messes W. E. SWIFT. MACHINE FOR APPLYING METALLIC FASTENERS T0 ENVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26, 1906.

Patented July 26, 191 0.

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J I Howe ENVELOPE COMPANY, 'OF MAINE. Y

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MACHINE FOR APPLYING METALLIC EASTENEES'T ENVELOPS;

in a, single machine of means for selecting a fastener from a mass of fasteners and presenting it individually in proper position to be attached to the body of the envelop; means for suitably registering the envelop;

means for attaching the fastener to the body of the envelop, and means for simultaneously punching and staying a hole in the seal flap in proper position to receive the metal fastenerwhen the envelop is closed.

Figure 1 is a side view of a machine for applying metallic fasteners to envelops, and embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an envelop with a metallic fastener applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview through the body of the envelop on line 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the metallic fastener before it is attached to the envelop. Fig. 5 is a front view on a larger scale of the upper port-ion of the machine showing the operative parts that are directly concerned in the selection and application of a metallic fastener to the envelop- Fig. 6 is a front view of the upper part of the machine with portions shown in sectional View. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View through the hopper for holding the metallic fasteners, said section being v shown on line 7-7, Figs. 5 and .6. Fig.

8 1s a transverse sectional view through the conveying tube, said section being shown on line 88, Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 9 is a side view of a portion of the partly in section in order to disclose the operativeparts employed in applying the metallic fastener to the body of the envelop.

Fig. 10 is a top view of the plunger for pushing the fastener through the body of the envelop. Fig. 11 is a topview of the mech-" anism for supporting a fastener in regis- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 25, 1906. Serial Nb.

machine shown 7 Th Patented July 26, 1 91 0. 340,495.

tration with the reciprocating plunger. Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the conveying tube 10, partly in section, showing the position of the overlapping fasteners as they pass through the tube.

Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in the different views.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my invention as embodied in a machine adapted to attach to the body of the envelop a metallic fastener of the form illustrated in perspective view in Fig. 4,. although the shape of the fastenermay be somewhat varied without departing from the scope of my present invention.

My invention consists in the constructionand arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and set forth in the annexed claims.

The metallic fastener A upon which the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is designed to operate. is illustrated in Fig. 4, and it consists of a plate 1 having on opposite sides laterally projecting bendable.tongues 2, 2, and provided. at itscorners with pointed attaching spurs 3, bent at an, Oblique angle to the plane of plate 1. The fastener A is attached to the body B'of an envelop near its open end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and this is accomplished by forcing the spurs 3 through the body ofthe envelop and clenching them upon the inside of the envelop, at 3, 3, Fig. 3, with the bendable tongues 2, 2, lying transversely upon the outside of the envelop and in a position to vbe bent together and entered through a hole 4 formed in the seal flap C, and again extended in order to hold the seal flap against the body of the envelop. In order to strengthen the seal flap it is preferably stayed by theattachment thereto of a patch 5 of cloth or paper.

The operative parts, of the machine, by which the fasteners are attached to the body of the envelop, consistof an elevated hopper 7, supported'on the free end of a bracket 8. e side 9 of the hopper is inclined so that a-fastener resting'aga'mst the side will slide by gravity *tqiward the open end-of a conveying tube 10, through which the fasteners areconducted to the mechanism for attaching them to the body of the envelop. The

up er end of the conveying tube 10 is partia y closed by a' wedge-shape plate 11,

X W p which leaves a restricted entrance 12to the tube, barely sufiicient to allow the plate 1 7 of the fastener to pass when the fastener is lying upside down against the hole of the hopper in the position shown at A, Fig. 7, and with the spurs 3, 3 pointing upward. The side 9 of the hopper is provided with a groove 13 having inclined side walls 14, and h'ving the bottom of the groove slightly wi er than the width of the fastener. The upper end of the plate 11 that determines the entrance to the conveying tube 10 is slightly raised above thebottom 15 of the hopper, and inclosed within the hopper is a rotating brush 16' carried by va shaft 17, and rotating in the direction of the arrow 18. The hopper 7 is partially filled with a mass of fasteners which are agitated by a rotating brush 16 which, at each revolution, sweeps against the upper end of the plate 11, thereby removing any fasteners which may have become lodged at the entrance of the tube 10. During the agitation of the fasteners by the brush 16, those fasteners which chance to fall into the groove 13, and in position shownatA Fig. 7, are permitted to slide by gravity through the restricted entrance 12 into the conveying tube 10, through which they slide downward until arrested by a spring actuated pawl 19 swinging loosely upon a stud 20, and held in its normal position by a SE23; 'spiil lagn 2015311:

tached at one end to a machine, and at its opposite end to a pin 22 projecting from the pawl 19. The free end of the' pawl 19 is bifurcated, forming 4 two tips 23, 23, the inner corners of which rest against the bar v24, supported in the center of the conveying tube 10, and in position to be-straddled by the spurs 3 of the fastener, which, in its course from the hopper, has been turned over a half revolution by means of a twisted section 25 on the conveying tube 10. As the fastener moves over the bar 24 in the position shown at A Fig.

- 6, with the spurs 3 suspended at the sides ofthe bar 24, its downward motionv is checked by its contact with the ti s 23, 23 of the pawl 19, thereby arresting t e down ward movement of all of the fasteners which have already entered the conveying tube 10. The bottom of the conveying tube 10 is provided with an opening 26 opposite the central portion of the bar 24 to permit the rotation of an arm-'27 attached to a rotating shaft 28 journaled in ears. 29 depending from-the conveyin tube 10.

The arm 27 is ifurcated, forming tips 30, 30 which, as the arm revolves, straddles the bar 24 and strikes against the rearmost spurs 3 of the foremost fastener, which is then held by its contact with the pawl 19. The rotation of the arfn 27 pushing against the foremost fastener crowds it past the pawl 19, which is slightly raised against the tension of the spring and allows the released fastener to slide over the lower free end 31 of the bar 24 into the delivery I tube 32, through .which it slides by gravity into its final position beneath the plunger 33, as shown at A Fig. 6. As the fastener is brought to its final position beneath the plunger 33, it slides over the upper edges of the blades 34, 34, located in the center of the delivery tube 32, shown in top view in Fig. 11. The blades 34 are sufliciently near together to be straddled by the spurs 3, and' they are far enough apart to allow one of the bendable tongues'2 to descend between them as the fastener slides off the end of the blades and falls into the position shown at A Figs. 6 and 11,,with the spurs 3 resting upon the slidable plates 35, 35, Fig. 9.

As-the fastener approaches its final resting the machine and immediately below the plates 35,35, is a pointed horn 38, which is inserted in the open end of the envelo as the latter is applied to the machine. he envelop is presented to the machine with the seal flap C inserted in the open space between the horn 38 and thecurved guide plate 39 until the advancing edge pf the seal flap is brought against the stop pin 40, which is heldin an adjustable bar 41, and extends upward through a slot 42 into the path of the advancing seal flap. The bar 41 is adjusted in and out by' means of a rod 43, which is held in any desired position by means of a thumb screw 44, passing through the slotted end of the rod and enover the ribs 46,46, against which the spurs 3 are clenched as they are pushed through thebody of the envelo by the descent of the plunger 33. The p unger 33 is carried in a sleeve 47, held in an arm 48, projecting from a vertically sliding ate. 49, sliding in ways of the frame work 0 the machine and intermittently actuated by means of a rocking lever 50 pivoted on a shaft 51, and having its end connected by a link 52 with the end of a lever 53, which is pivoted at its ide box 37. The in-' 9-5 Rigidly supported by the frame work of opposite end on a rod 54 held in the frame engage the slidable plates so that as the bars 57 are depressed the bell cranks will. be rocked to withdraw the plates 35 from beneath the fastener and allow the fastener to fall upon and rest by its spurs 3 upon the body of the envelop. The continned downward movement of the plunger brings it in contact with the fastener and,

, forcing the spurs 3 through the body of the the ribs 46, causes the 253- .reached the limit of their downward movethe slidable bars 57 are envelop, and against the upper surface of spurs to be clenched beneath the body of the envelop, as shown at After the bell crank arms 61 have ment, during the continued downward movement of the plunger, while forcing the spurs of the fastener throu h the envelop, orced upward against the tension of the spiral springs 64, which are attached at one end to the arm 48, and at the opposite end to pins 65 projecting from the bars 57. As the gate 49 rises the slidable bars 57 are restored to their normal position with their studs 58 resting upon the spanner nut 59, and as the plunger reaches its highest position, as shown in Fig. 9, the plates 35 and their actuated bell cranks are reversed by the tension of a spiral spring 66, which connects the radial arms 67, 67 Fig. 11, projecting from the rocking spindles 62, 62.

The operative parts ofthe machine as above described, are mounted ina vertical frame work 68,, which is sup orted upon a table .69 resting upon legs 70. "Mounted upon the table 69 is a bracket 71, which supports a roll 72 of continuous staying ma terial 73', which is conducted between feed rolls.74 and 75. The stay strip is preferably gummedon its'unde'r side, which is moistenedby feed roll- 75 running in a reservoir of water 76. By the intermittent action of the feed rolls the stay strip is projected forward through a slot 77 in a plate 78. The lower edge of the slot 77 acts in conjunction withv one corner of a cutting blade 79, carried upon the lower end of the gate 49-to sever the stay strip and allow the severed end tobe carried down and pressed against the sealfiap of the envelop by the lower surface of the cutting blade 79. Prior to the attachment of the stay strip to the seal flap of the envelop, the seal fiapand stay strip are both punctured by means of a punch 80 entering a hole81 in the die plate 82. The intermittent motion is imparted to the feed rolls by means of a pawl and ratchet mechainism 83, Fig. 1, actuated through a link 84 by a crank 85. R0- tary motion is imparted from the main shaft 56 to the crank 85 in the present instance by means of sprocketwheels and a chain belt 86, and rotating shaft 28 and brush shaft 17 by chain belts 87.and 88.

The several parts of the operative mechanism are so timed that while the brush '16 is continuously rotated within'the hopper 7, causing the individual fasteners to enter at random into the conveying tube 10, the descending column of fasteners in the tube 10 are held from downward movement by the pawl 19 until they are severallyreleased by the rotation of the arm 27 carried on the shaft 28. The rotation of the arm 27 is timed with the reciprocating motion of the gate 49 and the plunger 33, so that as each fastener is attached to the body of an envelop, the next succeeding fastener will be released by the movement of the arm 27, and fall into position as shown at A", Fig. 6, ready for the next downward movement of the plunger. At each upward movement of the plunger, the envelop with a fastener attached thereto, is removed and a fresh envelop inserted upon the horn 38 by the op-' erator. The intermittent movement of the feed' rolls 74 and 75 is timedwith the reciprocating movement of the gate 49, so that as the latter rises the continuous stay strip 73 is projected over the body of the envelop in position to be severed, punched and pressed upon the seal flap of the envelop simultaneously with the operation of attaching the fastener to the body of the envelop. i The plunger 33 is capable of a sllght sliding movement within the sleeve 47, and is held in its lowest position by the tension of a spiral spring 89, thereby making the plunger capable of a slight yielding movement as pressure is applied to the fastener. The horn 38 is clamped into position by a bar and clamping screw 91, allowing the horn to be readily removed by releasing the clamping screw 91.- The conveying tube 10 is provided on one-side with a central slot 92 which is slightly wider than the bendable tongues 2 of the fasteners in order to allow the tongues 2 to overlap the body portlon or plates l'ofthe adjacent fasteners. By forming a central slot 92 in one side of the tube 10 coincident with the line of bendable ton ues 2, the overlapping of the fasteners in t e tube 10 is permitted, and the passage so y through the tube can be made to more clo fit the body portion of the fasteners wlthout clogging the passage.

.The entrance of the fasteners into the-tube 10 is irregular and accidental, but the feeding of the individual fasteners to the plunger 33 is regular and timed with the reciprocating movement of the plunger. As the fasteners-are delivered to the tube 10 from the hopper, they arearrested in their downward movement by the pawl 19, until they arereleased by the rotating arm 27, which is timed to rotate in correspondence with the reciprocating movement of the plunger 33. The shaft 28, which carries the rotating arm 27, is capable of a longitudinal sliding motion, and is connected with the arm by means of a spline 93. One end of the shaft 28 has a knob 94' for moving the shaft endwise, and the opposite end is connected by a clutch 95, with a rotating shaft 96, which enables the arm 27 to be'disconnected from the driving power at will, when, for any reason, it is desired to interrupt the feeding of the fasteners to the plunger 33. The plunger 33 is held in a sleeve 47, which is supported in a slot .97 inthe arm 48. The sleeve 47 is clamped in position in the slot 97 by means of a flange 98, a rectangular washer 99 ad justable in ways 100 in the arm 48, and a clamping nut 59. By loosening the nut 59 the sleeve 47 may be adjusted in the arm 48 to bring the plunger 33 into registration with the fastener as it is held upon the plates 35. r 'The operation of .the machine is as follows :.A mass of fasteners is placed in the hopper 7 resting against the bottom 15, from which they are continually being swept by the rotating brush 16 against the inclined side 9. As the fasteners strike against the inclinedside 9 they slide by gravity toward the restricted opening 12 of the conveying tube 10, but only those fasteners which have been lodged bottom side up in the groove 13, in the position in Fig. 7, are permitted to enter the restricted opening 12, and pass beneath a wedge-shape plate 11 into the conveying tube 10. As soonas the fastener has passed the restricted opening 12 it possesses complete freedom of movement into the conveying tube lO owing to the increased size of the passage below the wedge-shape plate 11.' The central slot 92 allows the bendable tongues-2 to slide over the plates 1 of the fasteners, thereby bringing the body of the fasteners into. close contact, as shown in Fig. 12. As the fasteners move down the tube 10 upon the bar 24, the foremost fastener is caught by the pawl 19, and the movement of the line of fasteners is checked until the foremost "fastener isreleased by the rotating movement of the arm 27 whereupon it slides through thedelivery tube 32 and over the. blades 34 into the position re resented at A Fig. 6. As the fastener s ides over the blades 34 it falls u on the plates 35, and is supported thereon y the spurs 3, with one contact with the ribs 46.

of its bendable tongues 2 between the blades 34 and the other of these bendable tongues entering the guide box 37. In this position the fastener is ready to be presented to the envelop, and is supported in registration with the reciprocating plunger 33. The envelop is placed upon the horn 38 until the advancing edge of the seal flap is brought into contact with the sto pin 40. 4 The next descending movement 0 the gate 49 carries the arm 48 downward, causingthe bars 57 to rock the bell cranks and withdraw the lates 35 from beneath the fastener which alls upon the surface of the envelop. The continued downward movement of the gate causes the plunger 33 to force the spurs 3 through the body of the envelop and clench them upon the inside of the envelop by their Simultaneously with the downward movement of the plunger the'stay strip 73, which has been fed forward over the body of the envelop, is

severed and attached to the sealflap of the envelop, a hole being punched through the stay strip and seal flap by the downward the die plate 82.

I claim, v

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of the following instrumentalities, means for advancing a" continuous row of fasteners by an intermittent motion, horizontal ways for receiving a fastener from. the end'of said continuous row, a horizontal plate below said ways forreceiving said fastener from said ways, means for withdrawing said, plate by movement in a horizontal plane, said ways arranged to'prevent movement of said fastener as said plate is withdrawn, a reciprocating plunger above said fastener, a stationary table below said fastener, and means for reciprocating said plunger as said plate is withdrawn.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a feeding mechanism for advancing a fastener from the end of a continuous row of fasteners, comprising a straight bar, yielding means for holding a fastener in contactwith said bar, and a rotatable member for imparting a forward movement to said fastener against the restraining force of said yielding means.

3. 'In a machine of the class described, the combination with a feeding mechanism for advancing a fastener from the end of a continuous row of fasteners, comprising a support forsaid fastener, a spring actuated finger acting in cooperation with, said supportto seize said fastener, and a rotatable member arranged to lift said finger and re- I tinuous row of fasteners, comprising a su'penvelop,

portfor said fastener, a spring actuated finger acting in cooperation with said support to seize said fastener, a rotatable member arranged to lift said finger and release said fastener, and means for disconnecting said rotatable member.

. 5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for advancing a continuous row of fasteners by an intermittent motion, horizontal ways for receiving the lowermost fastener in said row and uiding it upon a. horizontal support, means or withdrawing said support, means for supporting an envelop below said support, verticalways above the plane of said support arranged to guide said fastener upon said envelop, means for exerting pressure upon said fastener, .and means for returning said support to its original position.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for supporting an a horizontal support for a fastener above said envelop support, a reciprocating plunger, means for withdrawing said fastener support in a horizontal plane as said plunger descends, and means above the plane of said fastener support for preventing lateral movement'of said fastener as said support is withdrawn.

In a machine of the class described, the

combination with means for imparting a downward motion to a fastener from one end of a continuous row of fasteners a support for a fastener, means for directing said fastener to a predetermined position upon said support, means for horizontally with-' drawing said support, and means above the plane of said support'for holding said fas-' tener in said position while said support is withdrawn.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a sliding support for a fastener, a reciprocatingplunger above said support, fixed means above the plane of said support and outside the path of said plunger arranged to engage said fastener and hold it from both lateral and. longitudinal movement during the descent of the plunger.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for attaching a fastener to an envelop, of sliding means for supporting the fastener above the envelop, and fixed meansabove the plane of said support for determining the position of said fastener on said support, whereby said fastener is held in position during the withdrawal of said support.

10. In a machine of the classdescribed,

the combination with. a sliding support for a fastener, of fixed means above the plane of said support for delivering a fastener in a particular, position upon said support, whereby said fastener is also retained in said position, said fixed means also serving to said control the position of said fastener while said support is being withdrawn.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a sup )ort for an envelop, a reciprocating plunger tener to the envelop, a pair of slidable plates for supporting the fastener, a pair of bell .cranks engaging said lates, and yielding means carried by the p unger for actuating said bell cranks simultaneously with the downward movement of the plunger to withdraw said slidable plates and release the fastener.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an envelop support, a reciprocating plunger, means for supporting a fastener having a horizontal tongue in the path of said plunger, of a guide box having vertical ways above said supporting means to receive said tongue.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an envelop su port, a reciprocating plunger and means fir supporting a fastener having a horizontal tongue above the envelo support and in the path of the plunger, 0 a pair of parallel vertical blades above said supporting means arranged to receive said tongue.

14:. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with an envelop support, a reciprocating plunger, and means for supporting a fastener in a predetermined position above the envelopsupport, comprising a guide box having an inclined side, and a pair of parallel blades in alinement with guide box. 15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for attaching a fastener-to an envelop, of means for supporting the fastener above the envelop, of a guide box to receive one of the bendable tongues of the fastener, said guide box having an inclined upper wall to deflect the tongue of the fastener downward.

16.'In a machine of the class described, the combination with a reciprocating plunger and means for advancing a continuous row of fasteners, of a stationary track at one side of the path of said plunger for receiving the lowermost of said fasteners and conducting it beneath said plunger, a movable support for said fastener, means for withdrawing said support, and means upon the other side of the path of said plunger arranged to prevent, together. with said track, lateral movement of said fastener as said support is withdrawn.

17. In a machine of the the combination. with a conveying tube for conveying a row of fasteners by gravity, a bar inserted in said tubeover which the fas-. teners slide in their downward movement, a pawl with its tip resting on said bar and in the path of said fasteners, a spring .for

or attaching a fasclass described,

holding said pawl'in its normal osition,

and a, rotating arm whereby the oremost fastener in' the row is periodically forced said tube, 'a. rotating arm for removing a 10 fastener from said tube, and means for rotating said arm synchronously with i the movement of said plunger.

I WILLARD E. SWIFT.

Witnesses: I I

-PE NELOPE Oomnnmmon, RUFUS B. FOWLER. 

